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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL – APRIL 26, 2021 5 <br /> <br />Interim Public Works Director Swearingen stated he was notified of this issue by a resident in <br />the area and he explained he could not speak if the amount shown covered the expense. He noted <br />he would speak to the project designer regarding this manner to address this concern. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden requested further information on the MSA streets. <br /> <br />Interim Public Works Director Swearingen explained MSA streets were designated based on <br />car volume and had to be designed to certain standards. He noted the City receives State funding <br />to assist with reconstructing MSA streets. He indicated Old Snelling was an MSA roadway. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant explained regardless of the option chosen, the road will be designed in such a <br />manner that MSA funds could be applied in the future. <br /> <br />Interim Public Works Director Swearingen reported this was correct. <br /> <br />Further discussion ensued regarding how MSA roadways were designed and engineered. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant opened the public hearing at 7:49 p.m. <br /> <br />Elyse Farnsworth, 1487 Lametti Lane, urged the Council to choose Option 1 with the trail. She <br />believed this was the better option and would allow her neighborhood to be included in the City’s <br />trail system. She understood this would come at a higher cost, but believed this was the best way <br />to move the project forward. <br /> <br />Gregg Larson, 3377 North Snelling Avenue, stated he lives on one of the streets planned for <br />improvement. He explained he wants a trail that has been promised for decades along with the <br />same safety features other City trails have. He did not believe the residents in this project area <br />were less deserving than other Arden Hills residents. He did not want to be left on the shoulder <br />anymore. He was of the opinion the feasibility study was flawed with only two alternatives. He <br />believed that both alternatives were unacceptable. He indicated the report rejects Option 1 as <br />being too expensive and Option 2 has been rejected by residents because it does not include a <br />trail. He recommended the City consider an option that was somewhere in between. He <br />suggested the current 40 feet of roadway along Old Snelling Avenue be reconsidered. He noted <br />the lane widths could be reduced to 11 feet, which would provide two feet. He explained <br />reducing the width of the shoulder on one side by four feet would create four additional feet for a <br />trail, leaving 14 feet on the trail side. He reported full depth reclamation would reduce the cost for <br />Option 1, as would a trail on the east versus the west side of the street. He suggested curbs be <br />placed between the roadway and the new trail for safety purposes. He indicated creative design on <br />the trail side would allow for the current rural ditch drainage to be utilized without needing to <br />invest in costly stormwater improvements. He stated if the design does not MSA standards, a <br />variance could be requested or this portion of Old Snelling could be delisted on the MSA network. <br />He commented this may be a better option than trying to construct this roadway to meet MSA <br />standards considering no dollars were available to assist with this project. He encouraged the City <br />to improve the safety for the pedestrians walking along this roadway and that rumble strips and <br />ballards not be considered. He wanted to see a safe trail design approved for this project. <br />